Racism, misunderstanding block Indigenous access to HIV care in Canada – Indigenous Watchdog
December 11, 2025
WE’VE ONLY REACHED 36% OF OUR $250,000 GOAL FOR DEC. 24. BUT CLIMATE DISINFORMATION GROWS MORE AGGRESSIVE EVERY WEEK.
Canada’s National Observer: Trevor Stratton recalls the day he wandered out of a pharmacy without paying last summer. The pharmacist chased him down and scolded him — only to later confirm there had been no charge at all. Stratton, who was recovering from a seizure and unclear on his medication coverage, describes the experience as “disrespectful,” but also painfully familiar.
A member of the Mississaugas of the New Credit First Nation, Stratton is an HIV activist diagnosed with the virus in 1990. He serves as national ambassador for the Canadian Foundation for AIDS Research and as the Indigenous leadership policy manager for Communities, Alliances and Networks.
